I may receive a commission if you purchase something mentioned in a link on this post for sites including Amazon.com. Other links may go to websites including eBay where I have been paid to write a blog or article. See the entire disclosure here.

Garden Globe Idea Gallery

Here you’ll find a variety of garden ball styles plus suggestions for making your own. Many gardeners like to make these from old bowling balls (if they can get them cheap or free) but there’s other options as well including sturdy, old lamp fixtures. You could also buy a globe you don’t like and give it a new look.

Gazing balls have been used as a focal point in garden for many years. When I first started gardening, I wanted one for my garden. And then I saw how much they cost. And that’s where I got resourceful.

This is my first garden ball (above). I made it years ago and at the time I felt like I was inventing the wheel (the internet was still a wee baby). Today, of course, it’s commonplace.

I took a ceiling light fixture, with a glass sphere and metal post, and spray painted it silver. The first question people always ask is, Won’t it break? And, after over ten years outside, year round, I can say no. I actually gave it away when we moved and now it lives on in a new garden.

#2 Garden Spheres With Flat Marbles (Glass Gems)Inexpensive materials: use old lamp globes or bowling balls as the base. No need to grout them – the material used as adhesive (details here) fills in the gaps between the flat marbles (glass gems).

Flat-bottom marbles or glass gems are inexpensive and available in a lot of colours, so it’s an easy way to bling-up your garden. If you use lamp globes for the sphere, they are lightweight and can be placed on old solar lamp stands like the ones you see here.

Always look for older glass lamp globes with thicker glass. I get mine at the thrift store and I’ve never had a problem with breakage (knock wood).

Bowling balls also work great for decorative balls you’ll display on the ground.Deluxe Garden Balls With Flat MarblesExtra detail: Use small plastic or glass floral bits to fill in the areas between the flat marbles.

The balls you see here have patterns or designed formed with the flat marbles, and then she has meticulously filled in the areas between the flat marbles with small floral bits (glass or plastic). These ‘bits’ can be found in craft supply stores, often in the floral design section where they sell vases and vase fillers.

#3 Patterned Garden BallsIdea: Use various colours of flat-marbles (glass gems) to form designs on the garden ball.

In addition to painting the exterior of the clear garden ball, consider applying paint to the inside. Pick a single colour or several, squirt them inside, and move the ball around to distribute the colours.

If you don’t like how it turns out, you can always apply decoration (paint, glass gems, or decoupage) to the exterior.

This ball (left) is by Empress of Dirt Facebook friend Pam. The sunflower ball is by Three Green Art.

There is Mod Podge made for outdoor projects. You can see it here on Amazon.

#8 Reclaimed Materials On A Garden Art BallIdea: Save those bottle corks and make a cork garden art ball.

This garden art ball was created by Louise who is an Empress of Dirt Facebook friend. She makes all sorts of creative garden art projects including this fabulous Ironing Board Woman wearing vintage roller skates.

In addition to corks, you can use anything that a) you can adhere to the sphere and, b) can withstand the weather. Possibilities include small toys, coins, game pieces, beads, bottle caps, lids, tabs —see what you have at home and get out the adhesive.

#9. Daisy designIdea: use different colours of glass gems to form designs

Empress of Dirt Facebook friend Dawn Rutledge made this beautiful garden art ball, creating a daisy design with different colours of glass gems or flat-bottom marbles.

My eBooks

DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS
Melissa Will is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

We use cookies to personalise content and ads, provide social media features, and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. AcceptRead More.